What Is the Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI)?

2. What Is the Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI)? • A SAMHSA initiative to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental illnesses using tools such as public education and contact • Goal: Achieve a society that promotes acceptance of all persons with mental illnesses

3. Objectives of the EBI • Counter stigma and discrimination • Reduce barriers to treatment • Build public support for recovery • Build public support for an array of accessible, quality community-based services

4. California Florida Massachusetts North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania Texas Wisconsin Pilot EBI States

5. Initiative Design—Strategy and Timeline • Multiple strategies: education, contact, and reward approaches • Coordinated by Departments of Mental Health • 3 campaigns: • General public (all 8 States) • Business community (CA, FL, PA, TX, WI) • Schools (MA, NC, OH, WI) • Pilot implementation period: May 2004–July 2005 • Awards program: July 2005 • Process evaluation: Fall 2005

6. Initiative Design—Partnerships • National-State Partnership Committee • Diverse group of participants • Representatives from Federal government, State mental health departments, non-profits/advocacy groups, academia, and foundations • Attended kick-off meeting (January 2003); ongoing communication via LISTSERV • 3 subcommittees: Communications, Partnership, Evaluation • Key Partners • Also worked closely with key partner organizations in Washington, DC

7. Technical Assistance • Each State assigned a Technical Assistance liaison as primary point of contact • Regular conference calls • Training and technical assistance relating to implementing the EBI • Topics included: online marketing; May Is Mental Health Month; multicultural outreach • State and Initiative updates • LISTSERV for information updates, group discussion • Mini-grants to help States create additional opportunities for contact strategies, additional outreach to diverse audiences

8. EBI General PublicCreative Approach • Feedback solicited from many sources • States and their consumer/partner networks • Key partners and subcommittees • Focus group testing (concept and rough cut) • SAMHSA Office of Communications • Recommendations/Results • Strength-based approach • Focus on recovery • Language choice is important

9. EBI General Public Portfolio • Public Service Announcements • Actors, voiceover talent, photography subjects are consumers • Drop-in articles • Feature consumer stories of recovery in each State • Bilingual brochure • State-specific bookmarks • Web Site • In English and Spanish

10. EBI Call to Action • Directs people to a bilingual toll-free number answered by SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center and offering: • Bilingual brochure containing general information about mental health • Service referrals • Also directs to Web sites • www.allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov • www.nuestrasaludmental.samhsa.gov

11. TV PSAs

12. Radio PSAs

13. Print PSAs

14. Web Sites www.allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov www.nuestrasaludmental.samhsa.gov

15. PSA Placement Results—TV • Commitments for over 8,700 placements reaching 177 million viewers as of June 15, 2005 • English broadcast: 4,013 placements on 64 stations reaching 145.4 million viewers • Spanish broadcast: 605 placements on 31 stations reaching 28.9 million viewers • Cable: 4,096 pledged placements on 33 systems reaching 3.2 million viewers • 2,752 reported broadcast placements and 69.4 million total impressions as of May 15, 2005 • 60% of broadcasts aired 5 a.m.–10 p.m.

16. PSA Placement Results—Radio • Commitments for over 22,131 placements on 228 stations reaching 57.7 million listeners through June 15, 2005 • 20,437 English placements on 207 stations reaching 53 million listeners • 1,694 Spanish placements on 21 stations reaching 4.7 million listeners

17. PSA Placement Results—Print • Commitments for over 162 placements in 48 publications reaching 4,533,400 readers through June 15, 2005 • 125 English placements in 31 newspapers reaching 687,200 readers • 22 Spanish placements in 11 newspapers reaching 189,700 readers • 15 English placements in 6 magazines reaching 3,656,500 readers

18. Equivalent AdvertisingValue $2.6 Million

19. State Activities—General Public Campaign • Trained to follow up with PSA directors to encourage placement, link to Web site, distribute brochures, etc. • Some used their consumer networks and partners to do so; some did so themselves or via a contractor • States held launch events between May and October 2004 • States were responsible for distributing drop-in articles • With the assistance of mini-grants, States developed or enhanced existing speakers bureau activities to promote EBI messages

20. EBI Schools Portfolio • Training curriculum for teacher audience • Administrators’ guide • Poster • Print PSAs • Drop-in articles

21. State Activities – EBI Schools Portfolio • Massachusetts: • Presented effort at MA Secondary Schools Administrators Association Conference in ’03 and ‘04 • Trained 4 pilot schools using module-based curriculum • North Carolina • Developed RFP process to identify 10 diverse pilot schools • Engaged Department of Public Instruction in the program • EBI is “mandated” by the State

22. EBI Business Portfolio • Resource for HR managers • PowerPoint training for managers • Top executives’ booklet • Poster • Print PSAs • Drop-in articles

23. State Activities – EBI Business Portfolio • Wisconsin: • Materials presented at Wisconsin Employer Symposium in November 2004, featuring model businesses and speech by Houston Texans (NFL) VP • Team-based collaborative implementation, including cross-agency partnerships (Disability Navigators) • California • Used funding from other sources to print additional copies of resource • Enlisted consumer networks and speakers to promote materials in the State

24. The Voice Awards • Recognize and honor efforts by States, advocates, and entertainment writers and producers in reducing stigma • Over 50 productions (TV, film, and radio) nominated by outside parties; 10 winners • Awards also to consumers, States • Awards to be presented at gala ceremony in Los Angeles • Use reward method to counter stigma; also creates forum for interaction and cooperation between Hollywood and mental health community

25. Evaluation • Process and case study evaluation to study Reach, Awareness, and Utilization of EBI • Evaluation results will be used to guide refinement of EBI products and strategies for final toolkit • Toolkit will be distributed as part of SAMHSA’s National Anti-Stigma Campaign (NASC) in 2006

26. Questions or Comments? Paolo del VecchioAssociate Director for Consumer Affairs, CMHS Project Officer240–276–1946paolo.delvecchio@samhsa.hhs.gov Deanna Troust Vanguard Communications202–331–4323dtroust@vancomm.com